


Let Nothing Remain Unsaid

by wanderingaesthetic



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Platonic Love, chocobros being chocodudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 04:15:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9303716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingaesthetic/pseuds/wanderingaesthetic
Summary: On the chocobros' last night together, Prompto has something to say. It turns out everyone else does too.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Once while I was playing the end to Final Fantasy IX, one of my best friends and roommate at the time turned to me and said, with great conviction: "You are a SAP."
> 
> Anyway, here's a Final Fantasy XV fanfiction.
> 
> I started writing this as an eventual epilogue to Swordsworn at His Side, but I think it stands alone and I was excited to share it, so here you go.
> 
> Does this take place before the mid-credits scene? After? Instead of? Who knoooooows.

Prompto breathed in deeply, the smell of woodsmoke filling his nostrils. He rarely built a fire when he went hunting solo, it only drew attention and impaired his night vision, so if he closed his eyes, he could almost believe that ten years hadn’t passed, and that when the four of them awoke in their tent the sun would already be high in the sky.

Almost.

Ignis and Gladio were cleaning up from their meal, the miracle of Noctis’ return made mundane by his dirty dishes. Noctis stood slightly apart, gazing out into the night, Insomnia dark on the horizon.

Prompto hopped up from his camp chair to join his king.

“What’s it like?” Prompto asked. “Aging ten years all at once.”

“Bizarre,” Noctis said, looking down at his hands, and the sound of his voice, even though it was slightly drier and deeper than Prompto remembered it, made Prompto’s heart do a joyous little flip in his chest. “I don’t feel any older,” he said. “But at the same time I feel ancient.”

“Tell me about it,” Prompto said. “At least you didn’t have to live through the long night. I feel like I’ve been doing nothing but fighting the last ten years, but I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing any more than I did when I was sixteen.”

“That’s not true,” Noctis said, looking at Prompto sideways, seeming to drink him in. “You’ve really grown into yourself.”

Prompto gave a coughing laugh. He could feel himself blushing. When was the last time he had blushed?

Noctis laughed too. “Ugh. That sounds like something my dad would say. But, really, you seem more confident.”

Prompto balanced on one leg, kicking the ground with the other, feeling embarrassed. “Fake it ‘til you make it, I guess. Same to you. Only it’s less like ‘confident’ and more like ‘creepily self-assured.’”

“The only person I’ve talked to in the last ten years is Bahamut. Guess it rubbed off.”

Prompto hissed through his teeth at the name of the astral, the one no one had seen in living memory. “What was he like?”

“Intimidating. ‘Creepily self-assured.’ Benevolent, but without pity. He’s a giant metal dragon, but his eyes were human.”

“Wow,” Prompto breathed.

“You might get the chance to see for yourself, before the end.”

 _The end…_ Prompto thought. “Noct…”

“Yeah?” Something in Prompto’s voice must have given him away, because Noctis was looking at him with his full attention now.

Prompto licked his lips. _Full steam ahead, I guess._ “I love you.”

Noctis’ brows raised and his mouth hung open. Whatever he had expected Prompto to say, it wasn’t that. Prompto looked away into the night, hugging himself, his throat going dry. “I didn’t want to not tell you, before…. Before. I always regretted I never said it, before you got stuck in the crystal. We knew you would come back, but we didn’t know when or if we’d be alive to see it. I’ve almost died a dozen times in the past ten years, and every time, I thought of you. I thought…’what if I never get to tell him? What if he didn’t know?’”

Prompto found himself being squeezed in a tight hug, Noctis’ voice in his ear. “I knew. I _know._ ”

Prompto returned the embrace, grimacing to hold back tears. “You don’t know what it means to me, knowing you. Having you for a friend. I don’t like to think about the person I would be if I didn’t.”

“Prompto…” Noctis said in his ear. “Do you have any idea how lonely I would have been? How miserable I would have been? How much harder _everything_ would have been without you?”

Prompto shook his head, trying to wipe at his tears with the heel of his hand as Noctis held his shoulders at arms’ length.

“You should already know,” Noctis went on. “But in case you don’t, _I love you._ I have always loved you, as long as I’ve known you.”

It was as if Prompto forgot to cry. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. “I… I think I needed to hear that more than I realized.”

The two stared at each other for a moment, then Prompto launched himself at Noctis, hugging him again. “I have missed you _so much._ And I’m going to miss you so much more. Why am I letting you _do_ this?”

Prompto could feel Noctis’ breath hitch in his chest. “Because you would do the same, if you could,” he whispered. “You would. I know you. I know you would.”

“Hey!” Gladio called. “If you two ladies are done talking about your feelings, we could use a little help over here.”

Prompto let go of Noctis and made a sound somewhere between a whine and a roar, marching on Gladio.

“I. _Love._ You,” Prompto said, taking a step into Gladio’s space with each word. The look on Prompto’s face was so intense that Gladio actually staggered backward. “You big. _Mean._ Lunk. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, _fine,_ but I thought you ought to know in case we all die tomorrow.”

Gladio momentarily looked as if Prompto had hit him, but then a huge grin cracked his face and he grabbed the smaller man, noogying him affectionately and actually planting a kiss on his cheek, all while Prompto squealed. “Love you too, Prompto,” he said softly.

“Noctis,” Gladio said, looking toward him, one arm still thrown around Prompto’s shoulder. “My king. I love you like a brother.”

Noctis nodded, his eyes still wet. “I love you too, Gladio.”

“If I may,” Ignis said, speaking up and walking toward Gladio. “Gladio, I’ve made my feelings known throughout the years, but in case this is the last time, let me say what a joy and honor it has been to serve beside you, and how much I’m indebted to you, and how much I love you.”

“Iggy—“ Gladio said, choking on his name and taking both of Ignis’ hands. “It’s nothing. You’re a saint. You’re the best man I know.” He swallowed. “I love you.”

“Prompto,” Ignis said, turning to him and reaching to take his hand. “The courage and dedication you have shown throughout our journey are to be commended. You’ve grown into a man to be admired, and I love you.”

Prompto looked like he might die on the spot. “I… Ignis, I… that means an insane amount, coming from you. I… what Gladio said. I love you, man. Honestly none of us deserve you.”

Ignis only smiled and accepted the hug Prompto gave him, then turned to Noctis, who darted forward to take his hand.

“Noct,” Ignis said, reaching up to touch his face. “ _My king,_ ” he said with a fierce pride. “I love you more than my life. I am so proud of the man you have become. I am proud to stand beside you in this hour, and at every hour before it.”

“Ignis,” Noctis, having lost the battle with his emotions and now openly weeping, pressed their foreheads together. “You’ve always, always given me everything and I’ve _never_ given you enough back. I love you. I’m so sor—“

“No!” Ignis hissed, swiping a thumb under Noctis’ eyes to wipe away his tears. “No apologies. What I haven’t done out of duty I have done out of love. My only regret,” Ignis said, his voice cracking. “Is that you couldn’t be king in time of peace. I would have seen you rule. You would have been magnificent.”

“Only because you would be with me telling me what to do,” Noctis choked out. “I wish I could give that to you.”

“Come now, that’s only my selfishness talking. You will bring the dawn and banish the daemons. No one could ask for more. And _believe me,_ ” Ignis breathed. “If I live through this ordeal none will ever forget your name.”

“Thank you,” Noctis whispered. “Thank you, all of you. Thank you.”

Gladio came up beside them to wrap them both in a hug. Not to be left out, Prompto joined them on the other side, and they stood like that for a while, holding each other together.

When they broke apart, Noctis spoke. “I have a favor to ask,” he looked at each of them in turn. “And it’s a big one. Don’t go thinking you’re released from service just because I’m dead. The world’s going to need rebuilding, so rebuild it. The future is going to be in your hands. I don’t know anyone I trust with it more than you three. It’s a lot to ask, I know. I wish I could help you, but…” He raised his chin to the sky. “Look to the stars and know that I am with you.”

 


End file.
